A. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an electronic device that can be used as a reference guide by a person reading a book and more particularly to a device that can be easily carried within the book and serve as a bookmark without damaging the pages of the book nor be damaged itself.
B. Description of the Related Art
Certain electronic reference devices have been designed to be used when reading a book. A dictionary is one such device, useful when reading a book. These devices can also be proportionately sized so as to be able to fit inside a book so that it is readily accessible to the user while reading the book. These devices can also be of an appropriate weight so as to be carried with the book. It is important that these devices are of suitable size and weight not to cause damage to the pages of the book nor to the binding of book.
One such prior art device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,424,984, which issued to Zhi Yao. Yao describes an electronic dictionary that has a keyboard section and a display housing section. The keyboard section has a keypad with the keys incorporated onto the surface of the keypad. The display section is thicker than the keyboard section. The display section houses the display screen and the battery.
The relative difference in thickness between the keyboard section and the display section creates a ledge at the point where the two sections join. This ledge is used to keep the electronic dictionary from completely sliding into a book when the keyboard section is placed between pages of the book. In that case, the display section will stick out of the top of the book while the keypad section rests between the pages of the book.
This design has several disadvantages. One disadvantage exists because the thicker and heavier display section will rest on the top edges of the pages. Book pages can be damaged by the weight of the thicker display section weighing down on the top edges of the pages. The danger for damaging the pages is particularly acute when the pages that the electronic dictionary rests upon are few in number and/or do not include the more rigid book cover. In both of these situations, the pages would be more susceptible to the weight of the display section.
Another disadvantage to this design occurs when the book is carried by the user. When finished reading, the user can close the book with the device located in between pages of the book and carry the book and device together. In doing so, however, the display section is still exposed and not protected by the book. Thus, it will be subject to the wear and tear caused by contact with other objects. Damage to the display will effective render the device useless. In addition, the danger of damaging the pages increases due to the fact that the impact due to any contact will increase the pressure on the pages.
Another disadvantage exists if the user tries to protect the display by placing the entire device between the pages of a closed book. Given the thickness of the display section, the pages of the book and the binding of the book will be stressed and likely damaged when the book is closed containing the entire device.